Automatic liquid sampler



June 16, 1953 w s 2,641,934

AUTOMATIC LIQUID SAMBgJER Filed 001;. 14, 1949 i 2 Sheets-Sheet l I N VEN TOR. flaw/90 4. 71 5275,

wam

Afro/avers.

I June 16, 1953 R. A. WERTS 2,641,934

AUTOMATIC LIQUID SAMPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 14, I949 LL 0 32172;: 6: i 36 45 fire-.3

. INVENTOR. flay/420 4 M275,

BY ZM m flrrokweys.

Patented June 16, 1953 AUTOMATIC LIQUID 'IS-AM'PLER .RichardcA. Werts,Long Beach, .Calif.

Application October 14, 1949,-Serial"No.121 309 I 'This inventionrelates to improvements in*line samplers wherein it 'is' desired "totake a representative sample of a =fiuid flowing through a conduit.

There are many situations in which the fluid flowing through :a' conduittends-to stratify, such as is the case where an emulsion of oiland'water '-ing through the conduit under these circumstances it isdesirable to take samples-that 'willbe representative or the fluid frombottom to top intheconduit.

An object of =the' present invention is toprovide a relatively simpleinexpensive=-and highly efficient sampler which is so designed as "totake a sample of a "fluid flowing'through a conduit and which-will berepresentation of the fluid through- 'out'its-complete cross section. e

Another object of the invention "is to provide "a sampler'consistingessentially-of "a transversely disposed scoop which extends transversely;a,cross 'are being conducted through a conduit. The water-constituentwill tend to settle to the bottom of the-conduit and the oil issupported thereover. 1 in taking representative samples of the fluidfiowf z-Glaims. (Cl. 73-422) through. This body is adapted to beinserted in a conduit or :pipe line made up of pipe sections "the pathof fiuid flow and which is revolved througha circumference havingaidiameterwhich is substantially equal to *thediameter of the path 'ofthe fluid 'and wherein provision is 'ma'de for periodically withdrawing"samples of "fluid from /within the scoop and collecting them.

-With'th e foregoing and other objects in view,

which will be-madezmanifest in the following de- "tailed description and"specifically pointed out in *the appended claims, reference-is had tothe ac- "companying drawings for "anil-lustrative embodiment ofthe-inventiomwherein':

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a line samplerembodying the present invention;

Fig. 21is a partial view in horizontal section taken substantially upon-thelinefr -iil upon'Fig. w1

'inthe direction indicated; 7

Fig.13gis ,a vertical section taken substantially r Fig. 4'is a partialview in verticalsectionxltaken substantially upon the line 4-4 uponFig.1; s 'Fig."5is 'a vertical "section "taken substantially upon therline55 upon Fig. '1; and

Fig. 6 is- -a partial view-similar to a"portion of Fig. -1 butillustrating the -0utlet valve of the sampler inopen position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar referencecharacters designate similar parts throughout, the improved sampler "t2and I-3 which maybe assumed to be conduct- "inga fluid such as an oiland water emulsion that it is desired to sample. The body [0 istransversely-bored as-at -MQ the transverse bore having a diametersubstantially equal to the diameter of "the passage I l. The ends ofthis bore are closed such as by 'ca'ps -l5 and I6 and a hollow shaftl!is rotatably supported in these caps. This .shaft is connected such asby a coupling 18 to a sourceof rotary power such as is afforded byasmall electric motor indicated at [9 and which is supplied with currentthrough conductors 28 "that are controlled by means-of a switch-2 I. Thef hollow shaft I1 carries a radially extending hollow arm 22,the-interior ofwhich is incommunication with the interior of the shaftand on the outer ':end of this arm there is disposed a transverselyextending scoop23. This scoop extends a major portion of thedistance-across the passage I I and is disposed on theend of the arm soas to sweep fairly close to the walls of the transverse bore I 4inthe-course of the rotation of the shaft IT by the motor '19. That endof the-shaft I! which is remote from the'motor extends through abushingfi that is'mounted' on thecap IS. A stufiing -boxt;26 on thebushing serves to prevent leakage from r the transversebore around theshaft. .An

outletaper-ture 21 is formed in the shaft so as'to v I ibe locatedwithin the housing and -'a corresponding aperture 28 'isfformed in thebushing in such :a position so as to register with the aperture 21 .in:the 'course'of the revolution of the shaft I'l. At the end :of theaperture 28 there may be a yalveseat29 fora valve closure w that iscarried 'by a lever 31 :thatis pivoted at 32 on a pin that *extendsthrough a hearing or journal 33 on the underside of the bushing :25.This pin is normally urged to the left as viewed in Fig. 3 by means :ofa compression spring '34 'but'its posii-tion :can be adjusted by meansof an adjusting screw '35 :having .a handle 36. Thus by screwing .theadjusting :screw135 inwardly the pin 32 can consists .of :abody 11 0having a :passage H 'there- "55 be forcedjztoward .the right as viewedin Fig. 3 against-the action of-the compression spring 3 3.

The remote end (of the :lever carries a'roller ti-which isopposed to:the face :of 'a disc 38 that isadjustably'mounted on the end of theshaft I! such as-by a set screw :39. Spring 3'4 also acts as .atorsionspring'which not only urges the :valve s'c losure :Zto close but alsourges the roller into engagement-with the face of the disc. On the face.of .this disc-there is formed or otherwise prowideda radiallyextending-cam or rib =40 which is tie rods 41.

3 of uniform width. As the shaft l1 rotates, the disc 38 will rotatewith it and while the roller 31 is in engagement with the flat surfaceof the disc the valve closure 30 will remain in closed. or seatedcondition on the valve seat 29. However, once during each revolution ofthe shaft I! and consequently the disc 38 the cam or rib 40 will bebrought beneath the roller 31 causing the lever 3| to shift from theclosed position shown in Fig. 1 into the open position shown in Fig. 6.When the closure has been thus shifted into open position fluid may flowfrom the interior of the scoop 23 through the hollow arm 22, the hollowshaft [1, and through the apertures 2'! and 28 wherever these aperturesare in registration with each other. Thus a small sample can be takenfrom the passage ll during each revolution of the shaft I 1. Theadjustment made by the screw 35 in forcing the pivot pin 32 toward theright as viewed in Fig. 3 is effective to shift the lever 3| and itsroller 31 outwardly with relation to the axis of the shaft I! and whenthe roller is in its outermost position the time that it is engaged bythe cam or rib 453 during each revolution is materially shorter thanwhen the roller is in its innermost position and is engaged by the inner'end of the cam nearer the center of rotation. In this manner byadjusting the adjusting screw be held open a longer period of time and alarger sample taken. The sample that is released by the opened valvedrops to the bottom of a housing M in the bottom of which outlets areprovided, as indicated at 42 and 43 enabling the sample to drain into acollecting jar 44 that is detachably mounted on the bottom of thehousiIlg such as by threads. This jar and its contents may be removedperiodically and an empty jar used for replacement purposes to collectadditional samples. At the top of the jar a vent passage 45 is providedin the bottom of the housing 4! that is normally closed by aspring-actuated valve 45. This valve permits air in the jar 44 to escapein the course of filling the jar and in the event that the jar becomescompletely filled with samples before it is removed and replaced, theoverflow can pass through the vent passage. The

parts of the sampler are held together in assembled relationship bysuitable cap screws and These are preferably so arranged that the motorI9 can be conveniently removed and replaced. While a variable speedmotor I 9 could be employed to vary the speed of rotation of the shafti! I find it desirable to employ inthis fluid is taken with fluid thatenters the scoop at other points in the vertical cross section of thefluid path and is withdrawn through the shaft l1 whenever the valve 38is open and is collected in the jar 44. As the scoop proceeds from itsuppermost to its lowermost position the fluid in the scoop that has notcompletely been emptied therefrom by the taking of the sample may dropout of the scoop or be drawn out of the scoop by the fluid flowingthereby so thatwhen the scoop again reaches its lowermost position it isin a condition to again take a representative sample of the fluidpassing through the passage H. The improved sampler is advantageous inthat it not only can be employed in conduits that are filled to capacitywith flowing fluid but can also be used in conduits that are onlypartially filled with flowing fluid.

From the above described construction it will be appreciated that animproved line sampler is provided that will permit of the taking of asuccession of truly representative samples of the fluid flowing throughthe conduit and their removal from the conduit and collection in acollecting jar 44. Furthermore, the quantity of sample taken during eachrevolution can be optionally varied by adjusting the adjusting screw 35.V

The quantity of sample taken can also be varied by increasing ordecreasing the speed of rotation of the shaft I! as above explained, andobviously if the size of the outlet aperture is varied the quantitytaken during each revolution will be varied accordingly.

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

7 l. Aline sampler comprising a body having a passage therethroughadapted to be inserted in a pipe line or similar conduit, a hollow shaftrotatably mounted in the body, an arm on the shaft, a scoop on the armextending transversely of the passage, there being a passage in the armestablishing communication between the scoop and the interior of theshaft, means for rotating the shaft to cause the scoop to traverse thepassage, and means for collecting samples conducted from the scoopthrough the arm and shaft.

2. A line sampler comprising a body having a passage therethroughadapted to be inserted in a pipe line or similar conduit, a hollow shaftrotatably mounted in the body, an arm on the shaft, a scoop on the armextending transversely of the passage, there being av passage in the armestablishing communication between the scoop and the interior of theshaft, means for rotating the shaft to cause the scoop to traverse thepassage, an outlet aperture in the shaft, means providing an apertureadapted to register therewith periodically during each rotation of theshaft, means for opening and closing the last mentioned aperture, andmeans for collecting samples which issue from the last mentionedaperture when it is open. I

3. A line sampler comprising a body having a passage therethroughadapted to be inserted in a, pipe line or similar conduit, a hollowshaft rotatably mounted in the body, an arm on the shaft, a scoop on thearm extending transversely of the passage, there being apassage in thearm establishing communication between the scoop and the interior of theshaft, means for rotating the shaft to cause the scoop to traverse thepassage, an outlet aperture in the shaft, means providing an apertureadapted to register therewith periodically during each rotation of theshaft, means for opening and closing the last mentioned aperture, saidmeans being adjustible to vary the length of time that it is open forthe egress of samples, and means for collecting the samples.

4. An automatic liquid sampler comprising a body having a passagetherethrough adapted to be inserted in a pipe line, a hollow shaftextending transversely across said body, a hollow arm on the shaft, ascoop on the arm, there being an opening in said scoop and said shaft,respectively, for providing communication between said scoop and shaftthrough said hollow arm,

means for rotating the shaft causing the scoop to traverse the passage,said hollow shaft having an outlet therefrom exteriorly of the body, andmeans actuated by said shaft during its rotation for periodicallyopening and closing said outlet once per revolution of the shaft.

5. An automatic liquid sampler comprising a body having a passagetherethrough adapted to be inserted in a pipe line, a hollow shaftextending transversely across said body, a hollow arm on the shaft, ascoop on the arm, there being an opening in said scoop and shaft,respectively, for providing communication between said scoop and shaftthrough said hollow arm, means for r rotating the shaft causing thescoop to traverse the passage, said hollow shaft having an aperturetherein exteriorly of the body, means surrounding the apertured portionof the shaft hav ing an aperture with which the aperture on the a shaftmay move into and out of registration as the shaft rotates, and meansoperable in'synchronism with the rotation of the shaft for periodicallyopening and closing the last-mentioned aperture.

6. An automatic liquid sampler comprising a body having a passagetherethrough adapted to be inserted in a pipe line, a hollow shaft extending transversely across said body, a hollow arm on the shaft, ascoop on the arm, there being an opening in said scoop and shaft,respectively, for providing communication between said scoop and shaftthrough said hollow arm, means for rotating the shaft causing the scoopto traverse the passage, said hollow shaft having an aperture thereinexteriorly of the body, means surrounding the apertured portion of theshaft having an aperture with which the aperture on the shaft may moveinto and out of registration as the shaft rotates and a valve normallyclosing the last-mentioned aperture, and means operable by the rotationof the shaft for periodically opening and closing said valve.

7. A line sampler comprising a body adapted to be inserted in a conduitconducting fluid, rotary means extending across the body in the path offluid ilow therethrough, there being a passage in said rotary means fromthe exterior of said rotary means within the body to the exterior of thebody. means for rotating saidrotary means, there being an aperture insaid rotary means exteriorly of the body, means surrounding said rotarymeans exteriorly of the body having an aperture located therein andadapted to communicate with the aperture in the rotary means when thelatter is brought into and out of register, a valve for controlling thefirst-mentioned aperture, a rib on the rotary means r0 tatable threwith, and valve actuating means operable by said rib to open and closethe valve once per revolution of the rotary means, said valve actuatingmeans being'adjustable toward and away from the center of rotation ofthe rib so that the period that the valve is open can be varied.

RICHARD A. WER'IS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 455,733 Bell July 14, 1891 1,847,395 Watts Aug. 30, 19321,964,270 Nidever et a1 June 26, 1934 2,091,613 Polston Aug. 31, 19372,140,920 Myracle Dec. 20, 1938 2,240,888 Hageline May 6, 1941 2,272,313Waters Feb. 10, 1942 2,327,123 Morse Aug. 17, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 433,433 Germany Aug. 31, 1926

